


Tea Together

by coffee_rings



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: M/M, Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), black eagles use modern gay slang lmao, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:55:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28307124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffee_rings/pseuds/coffee_rings
Summary: After the war, a teatime conversation between Dorothea and Edelgard leads them to decide to help find a suitable partner for Ferdinand.To Ferdinand's delight and Hubert's despair, Hubert ends up having to chaperone all of Ferdinand's dates.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault & Edelgard von Hresvelg, Edelgard von Hresvelg & Hubert von Vestra, Ferdinand von Aegir & Edelgard von Hresvelg, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 114





	Tea Together

When the war finally ended in victory for the Empire, there was still much work to be done: new institutions to establish and old regional despots to depose, reparations to be made and prejudices to be torn down… Those Who Slither in the Dark…

But at least now they had time to have tea again.

It felt like an unprecedented luxury after the years of hardship, but it felt nostalgic somehow, too. Like a poetic return to their days at the academy. That everyone, noble and common-born alike, had equal opportunity to enjoy moments of peace and downtime…

In a way, that was the surest sign of victory anyone could hope for. That was what they had been fighting for.

So thought Edelgard while having tea in the gardens of Enbarr with the new ambassador to Brigid. How strange, to be able to share tea as something other than students at Garreg Mach.

“Who would have thought we would find ourselves here?” she said across a farewell cup of sweet apple blend. “I never foresaw you being one for negotiations.”

“Well, that makes one of us who is surprised!” laughed Dorothea. “I always saw you being one for leadership.”

The end of the war had been good to Dorothea. While war had made her melancholic, peacetime made her sanguine again: confident, charismatic, and dazzlingly cheerful.

“Besides,” Dorothea added, lips curling on the brim of her teacup, “I’m not really going for the negotiations, you know.”

Edelgard smiled warmly. “Yes,” she agreed, “I suppose it’s not much of a surprise if you think of it that way. I never doubted that you would find someone to love you.”

Dorothea laughed again. “You know I’ll do anything for love! But don’t worry, I won’t shirk my duty either.”

“Of that I am certain. In fact, love is the reason I know you’ll do whatever it takes to reestablish peace between us as independent nations.”

“Of course.” Dorothea’s smile took on a faraway look, as if she were already there, falling in love with Brigid’s beaches and forests as well as its queen. “I want my future home to be free.”

“I understand,” Edelgard said, feeling oddly wistful herself. “I only wish that everyone could find the kind of love you have found—the kind of love that changes the whole world for the better.”

“You already have that, Edie!”

“I didn’t mean me! I suppose I’m thinking of… well, Ferdinand. This may sound silly for me to say about my prime minister, but I do really want him to be happy. He seems so enthusiastic about building our new empire, but he works nearly as tirelessly as Hubert these days! I cannot imagine where we would be without them both, of course, but Ferdinand seems to be having nearly as much difficulty as I am in terms of adjusting to… the kind of freedom I want him to have. And I get the sense that he is… lonely, somehow.”

“What, and Hubert isn’t lonely, too?” Dorothea teased.

“Hubert has made it clear that he has no interest in socializing outside of our small inner circle,” Edelgard said, amused. “Despite all the devotion he pours into his work, I’m not sure he realizes he’s capable of love.”

Dorothea sat back in her chair, thinking. “Well, Hubie is a whole different issue, but Ferdie… Ferdie, I could probably do something about.” She grinned as if she already had something in mind.

“I would have to ask him,” Edelgard added quickly.

“Oh, of course! But I think you’ll have a hard time getting Ferdinand to say no to you.”

That was indeed the case.

Edelgard finally asked Ferdinand one day as they were exiting a meeting that had gone on for several hours longer than she had expected.

“I apologize for taking so much of your evening,” she said, gathering her papers.

“Oh, it is no inconvenience!” Ferdinand said breezily. “After all, I did not have any evening plans for you to take me away from!”

Edelgard saw the opening and seized upon it. “Don’t you ever wish that you did?”

“I… fear I do not understand what you mean,” Ferdinand chuckled, bemused. “There is no one I would rather spend my evenings with than you and Hubert, refining and working toward our shared vision for the future!”

“Yes, but surely...”

How to put it delicately? Edelgard cleared her throat.

“I have a… rather unconventional question to ask you.”

“Of course. Anything you require.”

“Well, it is not a ‘requirement’, but I was wondering if you would be interested in meeting some... influential political leaders, perhaps, and enterprising merchants from outside of the Empire should they visit. They would be people—women, I assume? —of suitable character and substance to match your own. People who have earned their positions through diligence and intelligence.” She paused. “This would be… outside of your duties as prime minister, of course.”

“Certainly!” Ferdinand said without missing a beat.

“R-really?”

“Of course! If it would serve our interests to do so, I will certainly make the time.”

“I see...” Edelgard said, suspecting Ferdinand had misunderstood the purpose behind the venture. “But I am not suggesting this as mere networking; we have official ambassadors and trade negotiators for that. I was hoping you could use the time to truly relax. Perhaps form some new personal connections.”

“I can do that as well! I always appreciate getting to hear various perspectives on the world. After all, there are few joys greater than sharing tea with someone very different from you.”

“I… suppose so?” Edelgard decided to take his words at face value. “Well, in that case, Dorothea has offered to remotely arrange some of the dates for you. Is that amenable to you?”

“That sounds excellent!” Ferdinand said, seemingly with genuine enthusiasm.

So it was decided.

Edelgard’s next letter to Brigid included the words, “ _You were right. Ferdinand said yes.”_

* * *

Ferdinand grew to love the meetings Dorothea arranged for him. Every week, sometimes twice a week, Ferdinand would return to his rooms to find a new conversation partner sitting across from him for his evening tea. He would have to remember to thank Edelgard for suggesting it.

Since his work kept him too busy to leave the capital, having a constant flow of new visitors helped him feel more well-traveled by extension. Ferdinand enjoyed knowing the goings-on in the rest of the world. It gave him new things to talk about.

So, naturally, he ended up telling Hubert about all of them, after every parliament session and strategy meeting. He spoke about the charming young woman who had told him about predicting price fluctuations in the coffee trade, about the clever young woman who had suggested locating Those Who Slither in the Dark by placing tracking enchantments on items sold on the black market—

“Ferdinand,” Hubert said through gritted teeth, interrupting his babbling. “Why do you insist on recounting all this to me?”

“I—I thought you might enjoy hearing about it! Since you are too busy to hold these sorts of meetings yourself, I thought I might as well relay the information to you.”

Hubert scowled as they strode through the palace in the direction of their own offices. “There are some things I do not wish to know.”

Well, Ferdinand knew all the words Hubert had used, but he could not make sense of them in that order, in that tone of voice. Hubert collected information like mosquitoes collected blood in the summer! Why would he not want to hear all the interesting things Ferdinand had learned from his evening guests?

So Ferdinand continued sharing all of the interesting things he learned with Hubert. He just tastefully neglected to mention where he had learned it all.

Things continued that way, quite smoothly, until Ferdinand had something to say and could not find a way to leave out the fact that it had happened at tea.

“Hubert, did you hear? My guest yesterday attempted to assassinate me.”

Hubert stumbled. “ _What?”_ He whirled on Ferdinand, seizing him by the shoulders and pushing him into an alcove as if readying for an attack. “When? Where? How could you even—”

“She was very disarming,” Ferdinand said defensively, “in addition to not being the person she claimed to be. She was glamoured by some kind of enchantment; I saw it fall as she fled out the window.”

Ferdinand gently pried Hubert’s vice-like grip from his shoulders, but Hubert did not seem to notice and squeezed down on Ferdinand’s hands instead.

“Your naiveté really will be the death of you!” he muttered. “And really, what did you expect, just letting anyone into your rooms?”

Ferdinand could not help but laugh at this. “She only targeted me because you and Edelgard are impossible to reach! She said so herself! And it is no trouble for me. I can defend myself. She escaped unharmed, but so did I! I’ll happily meet assassins in your place—”

“Take this more seriously!” Hubert hissed, looking genuinely distressed. “Goddess, I forget that you do not know how to detect magic—and what if they try poison next time? I—” He heaved an annoyed sigh. “I’m going to have to screen your… visitors.”

“Really?” Ferdinand lit up at the prospect of seeing Hubert for longer than the time it took to walk from one end of the palace to the other. “You have my gratitude, Hubert! I appreciate you taking the time—” Hubert scowled and marched away.

And thus, Hubert assigned himself the task of screening Ferdinand’s visitors.

The first time he came, he arrived early. “Ah, Hubert!” Ferdinand said, courteously gesturing at the unoccupied seat across from him. “Take a seat, won’t you?”

Hubert sat, crossing his arms, clearly displeased.

“Is… something troubling you?” Ferdinand asked. “I thought it would cheer you to remember how we used to have tea together.”

Hubert frowned. “I—”

Just then, Ferdinand’s guest arrived, and Hubert jumped up from the chair as though he’d been struck by Thoron, face going pink to match.

He quickly checked the young woman at the door for glamours, vials of poison, and concealed weapons.

Ferdinand couldn’t get a word in before he muttered, “Enjoy your tea,” and stormed away.

The next time, Ferdinand arranged to have an extra chair in his room.

As Hubert completed his search, Ferdinand said, “Well, Hubert, if you’re already here, why don’t you stay for the duration? Then I will not have to spend as much time recounting it to you afterwards!”

Hubert and the visiting Dagdan marchioness shared a disbelieving glance.

“I could not—”

“I am sure Edelgard would want you to indulge in some company as much as myself,” Ferdinand insisted. “You have earned some time for relaxation, have you not? Besides, it has been too long since we last shared tea.”

Hubert sat stiffly on his chair. He said and drank nothing all evening, then escorted Ferdinand’s guest out without a backward glance.

From then on, Ferdinand arranged for there to be coffee as well as tea.

Edelgard checked in with Ferdinand one day. “How are your introductions going, Ferdinand?”

“Very well, I should say! You were quite right that they are all intelligent, hardworking young women.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Have you… gotten closer to any of them?”

“Of course! All of them!”

“What?” Edelgard sputtered.

“They have all been excellent conversationalists! I have made sure to stay in contact each one, so that I will be up to date on their careers and able to speak about them when next we meet.”

“Ferdinand,” Edelgard said slowly, as though piecing something together, “would you be equally happy talking to men?”

“Of course I would!” Ferdinand said, offended. “I do not discriminate in that way!”

“Ah,” Edelgard said, looking a bit embarrassed. “Of course. I will let Dorothea know in my next letter.”

* * *

The next time Hubert came to check Ferdinand’s guest for concealed weapons and cloaking spells, it was a man.

Stupid Ferdinand and his stupid suitors. As if these meetings weren’t uncomfortable enough.

Though Hubert certainly wanted to avert any future assassination attempts, the experience of attending Ferdinand’s dates was proving torturous—so torturous, in fact, that Hubert spent them trying to devise a way to replicate this level of agony for interrogations.

Unfortunately, it required that the torture victim love someone, and that this someone invited them to third-wheel on dates.

Things couldn’t go on like this. It only took about a month more for Hubert to finally pull Ferdinand aside and say so.

To his surprise, Ferdinand nodded earnestly. “I agree. We are not making any progress on capturing the assassin. Word must have spread that I am well protected now—that is why they do not make another attempt.”

Oh. Ferdinand was… correct, actually. Why hadn’t Hubert thought of that?

“If only there were another way to lure them out…” Hubert muttered, lost in thought.

“I know!” Ferdinand exclaimed. “We could tell everyone I am no longer screening my visitors!”

“Why would anyone believe that?”

“Oh. Hmm.” Ferdinand pouted in concentration. “We could… host a ball when you and Edelgard are traveling! That way, they will know for certain that I am unprotected.”

“But then you really will be unprotected.”

“Well, if you have any other ideas, I would certainly love to hear them!”

Hubert sighed. “It is true that we need to tempt them out, but there is no point inviting more and more assassination attempts if the assassin will stay glamoured the whole time. There are spells to strip away false façades, but we need to know who to cast them on…”

“Is there any way to cast one over a whole area?”

“Well, not over an area, but there are ones that act like portals. Anyone who passed through one would be forced to show their real face… but still, that would be inviting an assassination attempt.”

“What if someone had already seen the assassin’s face?” asked Ferdinand.

Hubert looked up sharply. “What? Who?”

“Bernadetta,” said Ferdinand. “She saw the assassin jump from my window. And from her description, I believe she saw enough to recognize her face again.”

A plan started to take shape in Hubert’s mind.

“Fine,” he said. “Host your ball. I will accompany Bernadetta to watch from afar as people interact with you.”

“Really?” Ferdinand beamed. “So you’ll come?”

Hubert rolled his eyes. “Go cancel your meetings.”

For the month leading up to the event, Ferdinand accompanied Hubert to all of the doorways and windows he had to enchant. Ferdinand’s eyes lit up watching the spell fall like a shimmering veil every time Hubert cast it. (“A veil for unveiling!” Ferdinand had exclaimed the first time he saw it.)

After each, Hubert would cast a glamour on Ferdinand to make sure it worked.

“How could you do this?!” Ferdinand cried in dismay as Hubert concealed his long orange locks, making them appear short and dark, identical to Hubert’s own. Ferdinand grasped a handful of his now black hair, following it down to where it turned invisible. “And why?”

“Oh, hush,” Hubert said and shoved Ferdinand through the doorway.

Ferdinand laughed as it erased the glamour, his bright hair popping back into view. He stood in the middle of the doorway and leaned back and forth, playing with the enchantment like a child with a toy.

“Hurry up, or next time I will give you pimples,” Hubert threatened.

“Oh no! I’ve never had a pimple in my life!” Ferdinand exclaimed.

Hubert couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“That was a joke,” Ferdinand clarified, though he too was smiling.

“I know,” said Hubert. “That’s why I laughed.”

As the date of the ball drew closer, Ferdinand ended up spending so much time in Hubert’s office that he dragged his own chair in to sit beside Hubert’s at his desk. They stayed awake late into the night, double and triple checking maps of the palace by candlelight, marking every possible entrance and exit, making sure Ferdinand would never be out of sight.

“It has to be perfect,” Hubert mumbled, nearly delirious after so many days with so little sleep.

“Of course,” said Ferdinand. He was leaning over Hubert’s shoulder, tracing a hallway with one fingertip. “We would not want anyone to get hurt. In fact…” His hand moved to Hubert’s cheek, turning it to face him.

Hubert’s stomach leapt into his throat.

“You should wear a disguise. They only target me because they cannot get to you.”

Hubert swallowed. “I can wear a disguise.”

Ferdinand smiled serenely at him. “Thank you.”

He sat down in his own chair beside Hubert and fell asleep.

Then, the ball.

Ferdinand had arranged it extravagantly, of course—the grand hall was lively with people and music.

Ferdinand was sharing a waltz with a woman, swirling around the floor, graceful and effortless while Hubert watched from the shadows, Bernadetta on his arm—in his element, just as Hubert was in his. Ferdinand’s eyes were radiant with joy, even during his periodic glances in their direction.

Or… especially then…?

“There.”

Bernadetta pointed.

Hubert leapt into action.

He threw a hand out, already casting a spell. Someone screamed.

But his target dodged, leaping—

Right into Ferdinand, who had broken away from his dance partner in time to pull the assassin’s arms behind her back.

Hubert cast an immobilization spell. And Silence too, for good measure.

Once the assassin was subdued and the commotion settled, Hubert looked up and saw Ferdinand was stifling laughter.

“Really?” Ferdinand laughed. “You needed a beard?”

Hubert’s remaining composure shattered.

“Bernadetta is not a _beard_ , she’s our eyewitness! Or did you somehow get your memory erased on the way in, you foolish—”

And then Hubert remembered his disguise.

“—oh.”

Ferdinand blinked rapidly. “Oh,” he echoed.

A moment passed.

Then Ferdinand stepped forward and touched Hubert’s fake beard, smiling softly. “Let’s have tea together again,” he said. “Just the two of us.”

“Yes,” said Hubert. “Let’s.”


End file.
